BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Australian author was sentenced Monday to three years in prison in Thailand after falling foul of a Thai law that makes it a crime to insult the country 's royal family .

Harry Nicolaides behind the bars of a Thai holding cell on Monday .

Harry Nicolaides was arrested last August over a 2005 book called `` Verisimilitude , '' which includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that the authorities deemed a violation of the Lese Majeste law .

Nicolaides , 41 , was bombarded with questions from foreign journalists as he arrived at the court Monday , wearing shackles as he stepped from a prison bus . In tears , he said he would plead guilty .

`` Truth is stranger than fiction , '' he said . `` It 's been an ordeal for months . It feels like a bad dream . '' Watch shackled Nicolaides at court ''

The Thai Criminal Court originally sentenced Nicolaides to six years in jail but cut the punishment in half because of the guilty plea . He listened calmly as the verdict was translated to him .

After hearing his verdict Nicolaides said : `` I wish my family the best . '' Watch Nicolaides ' brother 's reaction ''

One of his lawyers said no decision had been made about whether to appeal or seek a royal pardon . King Bhumibol Adulydej has pardoned foreigners in other similar cases in the past .

CNN has chosen not to repeat the allegations made by Nicolaides because it could result in CNN staff being prosecuted in Thailand .

Nicolaides had been living in Thailand since 2003 , lecturing at two universities about tourism .

He was about to leave Thailand when he was arrested on August 31 last year . It is not clear why the authorities waited three years after the publication of his book to bring charges against him .

`` I think there are individuals who have exploited an obscure law for their own self-interest , '' he said .

Only 50 copies of the book were published , and only seven were sold .

The law Nicolaides was convicted of breaking is section 112 , known as the Lese Majeste law .

It says : `` Whoever defames , insults or threatens the King , the Queen , the Heir-apparent or the Regent , shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years . ''

Thailand 's king is highly revered in this Buddhist nation , but even he has said in the past that he can be criticized .

Thailand 's new prime minister , Abhisit Vejjajiva , also told CNN he is concerned about the misuse of the Lese Majeste law .

`` There are cases in the past where this law has been abused for political purposes , and I agree this has to stop , '' he said .

Despite the rhetoric there 's little sign the prime minister will change the law . Other cases are pending against both foreigners and Thais .

CNN 's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn in Bangkok contributed to this report

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Australian author jailed for insulting Thai king in a book

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Harry Nicolaides jailed for three years ; cut from six for his guilty plea

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He was arrested last year , three years after the book was first published

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Defense lawyers deciding whether to appeal or ask for a royal pardon